Improvement in washing-machines



T. 0. WELGH.

Washing-Machines. No. 200,635. Patented Feb. 26,1 78.

WITNESSES @M V av MW ATTORNEYS.

PETERS, FHOTD-LITNQGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D c,

UNITED STATES THOMAS c. WELCH, or

PATENT OFFICE.

CINCINNATI, ARKANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,635, dated February26, 1878; application filed May 5, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. WELOH, of Cincinnati, in the county ofWashington and State of Arkansas, have invented anew and ImprovedWasher, of which'the following is a specification: I I

In the accompanying. drawing, Figure 1 represents a front view of myimproved washer and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the sameon line as m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention relates to an improved machine for washing garments bypressing and rubbing the same against the face of a washboard withoutfriction or injury.

The invention consists of a revolving clothcovered rubber, 'inconnection with a washboard set into a spring-acted lever-frame, thewash-board being covered by a band passing around the board andfriction-rollers back of the same.

In the drawing, A represents a suitable supporting-frame by which thewashing device is secured to seats or bearings of the wash tub or box. Acorrugated roller, B, turns in bearings. of the upright posts of frameA, being provided with a hand crank, and so set into the frame as to bereadily removed, if required.

The wash-board O is attached to the lower end of a swinging lever-frame,D, that turns on a fixed top shaft, D, of frame A, being attached to thesameby spiral springs a, in such a manner that by taking out the rollerB the frame of the wash-board may be turned on the shaft until theproper tension of the springs is obtained.

The roller or rubber is then replaced, and the machine is ready for use.The wash-board is then raised by pressing downward on the hand-bar atthe upper ends of the levers or frame of the wash-board, and the garmentintroduced between the rubber and the washboard. By releasing thehand-bar the face of the wash-board is brought in contact with thegarment, which is held by the friction of the canvas or other covering,B, encircling the rubber, and by a band, C, encircling the washboard.Byrevolving the rubber with the handcrank backward and forward, thegarment is caused to pass back and forth over the face of thewash-board;

The wash-board O is provided with a corrugated-zinc covering, its facebeing of greater curvature than the convex surface of the roller, sothat when the board is raised by the garment its face is nearlyequidistant from the roller or rubber.

The band 0 passes in front of the wash.- board and over friction-rollersb at the back of the same, so as to follow the course of the roller, andcompel thereby the garment to be rubbed without exerting a frictionaland injurious influence thereon.

When the rubber is reciprocated back and forth, instead of beingrevolved, as heretofore described, the garment alternately dips into thewater and passes over the wash-board, and any particular part of thegarment may be introduced and washed at pleasure.

The garments may also be washed without the use of the band around theboard, with no more injury than is produced by the common wash-board inuse, though the same amount of pressure should not be used as with theband.

The band is applied to the board by removing the bolt 61 by which thewash-board is secured to its lever-frame, and by taking the board out ofthe sockets of the same.

The soap may be readily applied to the garment by soapin g the bandwhich encircles the wash-board and which,byits revolutions, conducts thesoap to the garment.

The machine is of simple and durable construction, the zinc covering ofthe wash-board and the band revolving round the same being the onlyparts exposed to wear. It is readily operated, so as to expedite andfacilitate the washing of garments.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a revolving roller or rubber,B, having covering-cloth B, with a swinging and spring acted wash board,0, having encircling band C, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the spring acted lever-frame with a wash-boardhaving frictionrollers and encircling-band, and with a fastening-bolt toremove band, if desired, Substantially as specified.

THOMAS C. WELOH. Witnesses:

R. W. REESE, JOHN M. LAcY.

